Elaine Arnold CD(PALS, DONA) Doula Profile

To start off, it is very rare in life that you meet someone who is doing exactly what they are meant to be doing! Elaine has the experience, the knowledge and the training to help get you through the pregnancy and delivery, but she also has something more innate. She has an inner calm and patience that she was able to pass on to me during my 34 hours of labor.

We found Elaine off of this website with a bit of a "Hail Mary" last minute effort. My husband and I hadn't taken any classes, but were determined to have a natural birth at Swedish. Our doctor sort of laughed at us and said it would be a good idea to get a doula! We contacted Elaine with less than three weeks to go.

She came to our house, got us up to speed and helped us practice some relaxation techniques.

During labor Elaine was indispensable. She never got tired of fining new ways to help me deal with the pain and stay relaxed. My husband and I were exhausted and I know Elaine's support was able to give my husband some much-needed rest.

She also checked in after the birth to make sure everything was going well once we got back home! She really is a prenatal class, a birthing coach and a post partum/nursing coach all wrapped into one! And she is always excited to hear from you... Even when it is three in the morning and you are telling her your water just broke.
 

The birth of my first son ended up having a C-section. It was the most terrible experience and left me feeling angry and dissapointed because I was robbed of the joy of the natural birth experience. So when I was pregnant with my second son I was dertemined not to have anther C-section and it was in the seventh hour of labor that I then realized that I needed help breathing and staying focued on the primary goal, to give birth naturally. Elaine helped me stay foucused and breathe and when I had terrible back pain, she helped relieve the pain by applying presure and that at least decreased the pain by sixty percent. Also, when I was stuck at being dialated 8 cenimeters for three hours and felt hopeless, Elaine gave me hope and comfort because she has this way of soothing me and keeping my calm. Simply put, she was very nurturing, motherly and had this pleasantness about her. Because of having Elaine at the second birth, it hard to believe that I didn't want to have a natural birth the first time, it gave me hope knowing that I could have more safe and natural deliverlies without all of the drugs. I felt so proud of myself for accomplishing this amazing birth and it made me feel like I could do anything!  Furthermore, I fell like I wouldn't have been able to have such a successful birth without Elaine at my side because she was such blessing. Without a doubt I would most definitly recommend this amazing doula to all of my friends and family because she also does have a medical backround and I even had my nurse tell me that Elaine was doing a better job then she. Even because the roles were competeling different, Elaine found it easy to work and deal with the medical staff because she understands what is going on. She was very proffesional, pleasant and caring. Once again, without a doubt I would recomend her to anyone.

 Elaine came into my life exactly when I needed her. I didn't have the support from my child's father as I had hoped and even though I had support from friends and family, Elaine provided something they couldn't. It was very easy to relax and be open with Elaine. She is the epitome of the definition of a doula. She supported me physically and emotionally. She gave me the strength to plan my labor for what I needed and not worry about everyone else. 

When I went into labor everything was quick. My contractions went from 2-4 minutes to 60 seconds apart in 2hrs. Elaine had to coach me over the phone. Just hearing her voice and knowing she was there helped me relax. 

My daughter was born safely and healthy because of the wise choice to have a doula. Doctors can be too focused on the medicine and not the patient. Doulas like Elaine are your advocate and are solely focused on your well being and positive labor experience. 

To put it simply, Elaine is amazing and wonderful, and everything I could ask for as a doula. I started my search for a doula a little late in the game, but I was lucky to have met Elaine. I liked her instantly. She was genuine and warm, friendly and cheerful, caring and sweet - all the things you would want for the person supporting you in your journey of giving birth. She was also informative, organized, professional, and resourceful. Before our initial meeting was over, I was sure I wanted her as my doula. Though we didn't have much physical time together before I gave birth, she was still very present - always checking in with me either by phone, text, or email. During our prenatal visits, she did everything in her power to make sure I was well informed and comfortable with everything going on and with everything I was feeling. Less than a month after I hired her, my beautiful baby boy was born by natural VBAC (vaginal delivery after c-section) with no problems at all thanks to her guidance and calming presence.

Through it all, Elaine was a constant support and provided so much comfort. She answered any questions I had, provided information beyond what I thought I needed, and if ever she wasn't sure about something, she found the answer! On top of all this, I got the added bonus of having my placenta encapsulated (at no extra charge)! Elaine happened to get certified shortly after we met.  My husband and I were so grateful for everything she did for us that we paid her more than what we originally agreed to.  You really can't put a price on what she does, and I can’t say enough about how great she is. I whole-heartedly recommend her to anyone searching for a doula.

During the third trimester my husband and I decided that instead of delivering at the hospital, we wanted a midwife to deliver our baby at a birth center. Since this was my first pregnancy, I did not know what to expect and really wanted a doula that could support my husband and I. We received a handful of doula referrals but decided to go with Elaine. Choosing Elaine was the best decision we made in regards to our birth plan!

The first time we met Elaine, my husband and I were impressed. She was very organized, prepared, and brought up things we would have never considered. For example, she asked me to take a tour of the birth center and also visited our home so that she would know how to get there quickly when I started labor. More importantly, we felt her genuine, thoughtful, and caring spirit.

Elaine is very intuitive and provided continuous physical, emotional, and spiritual support before, during, and after labor. While I was experiencing intense contractions, Elaine rubbed my back and coached me to breathe calmly. The pain level dropped immensely! She asked questions to make sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed. Elaine was so in tune to me that even with very subtle signs, she knew when I was in transition (I didn't even know). My labor was very fast that I ended up giving birth at home instead of the birth center. Thank God for Elaine! She knew I was progressing a lot faster than it appeared and was able to communicate this to the midwife.

Elaine exceeded our expectations! My husband and I ended up paying her more than what we agreed to in the beginning because we were beyond satisfied! Elaine is an amazing woman. We felt her love, warmth, and kindness instantly. She is so thoughtful and provided us a very memorable birth experience. Words cannot express how much of a blessing she was to our family.
 

I learned of Elaine through a friend who told me that when she was in labor, Elaine's use of massage and pressure decreased her pain to a manageable level. She complemented the role of my friends husband; she in no way tried to "replace" the special role her husband had at the birth of their daughter, she respected and honored what he brought to the birth.

Elaine is indeed a strong woman; emotionally, physically and spiritually. She has a strength of character that I believe is a fruit of being a mother of five, battling cancer and supporting so many mothers during labor and delivery.  It is this strength of character that was a great comfort to my husband and I while I labored at home, in the Swedish Hospital rotunda in the middle of the night, in triage, and finally in the delivery room. 

Throughout my labor, having both Elaine and my husband as my support team proved invaluable. She supported my husband as much as she supported me and helped my husband & I to build memories we can look back on with fondness in the years to come.

Once we went to the hospital, Elaine walked with me for hours in the middle of the night, massaging my back and helping me to breath through each contraction, while my husband got some much needed rest. When the hospital sent me home because I wasn't progressing, Elaine came with us, spending the night in our guestroom and supporting us through the next day when my baby was in a painful position.

If you choose Elaine as your birth doula, you will be giving yourself the gift from the time you decide to work with her during your pregnancy until you are home with your dear little baby.  When you need her, she will be there, supporting you and helping you build wonderful memories to share with your baby from pregnancy to delivery.